Settlements and Slave ads
Berlin Cross Roads
Located in Jackson County, this settlement was populated primarily by former slaves and free people of color. Several of the Woodson families, the Nookes, Cassell and Leach Families operated stops on the Underground Railroad. Other families were Webb, Wilson, Dyer, Brown and Mundell The settlement flourished until the early 20th century, when people moved to other localities . The settlement supported a hotel, Post Office ,AME Church and a school. Today only a vesitage of the early settlement still exists. Changing the highway has wiped out much of the farms and buildings. The Woodson Cemetery and a few houses mark the site of the once flourshing community. (located on State Highway 32 about seven miles east of Jackson Ohio in Jackson County)
Pee Pee Settlement (PP)
In the early 1820's thirteen families came from Virginia and settled in Pebble Township of Pike County. Other families joined this first group and the settlement soon spread into Huntington Township in Ross County. The ex-slaves and free people of color were excellent farmers and were for the most part prosperous. Harassment by white neighbors drove several of the original farmers from the settlement. Some of the families that remained became a part of the Underground Railroad, working with operators in Scioto County. Minor Muntz, one of the operators, saw his house burn to the ground, torched by neighbors who were pro-slavery. Muntz rebuilt his home and was forced to defend it by sitting inside his front door armed with a shotgun.
A church was organized in in 1824, though a building was not built until the 1830's or 1840's. A school and public building was also built.The settlement continued to grow until the 1920's when economic conditions forced many to move to other locations.
The name of this settlement was taken from the surrounding hills and nearby stream. Peter Patrick and two or three other families came to this area as squatters from Virginia in the mid 1700's. The Shawnee And other tribes , of course, lived there then. After years of scrimages with the Native Americans, the white families were forced to return to Virginia. However, before leaving Peter Patrick decided to leave proof of his existence by carving his initials on a tree--PP. In the early 1800's the surrounding hills were called PP after the initials carved on the tree. The stream which flowed near the tree was called the PP Creek.
Stillguest Settlement
Located in Ross County about six miles northwest of Chillicothe, it was originally called Hicks Settlement because of the Hicks families that settled the land prior to 1820. An adopted son of Tobias Hicks, lived in the settlement after the death Of Tobias and after his sons had moved elsewhere. His name was Joseph Stillguest. He had come to the HIcks home as a runaway slave and was taken in by Tobias Hicks who made him a part of his family. Stillguest operated a stop on the underground Railroad at this place before moving to Urbana Ohio, where he continued his UGRR operations.
Settled by Tobias Hicks and sons about 1800. Hicks came from Maryland, Possibly with former slaveowner, White Brown. He purchased land and other AA's settled near him.
The farm of Abram and Lucy Depp was the first of this settlement of African Americans. This settlement was also a safe haven for those fleeing on the UGRR. The settlement was located, north of Columbus, near Delaware Ohio
The iron furnaces of Lawrence County had much to do with the development of this settlement. Many AA men worked at these furnaces. The Union Baptist Church an important part of this settlement (1818) marks the site of this settlement today. Several descendants of the founding families still live in the area. (Route 93 South of Oak Hill).
Gallia and and Lawrence Counties was the location of this settlement. The Stewart family, Peter Coker and his sons, Benjamin Holley and others were early settlers. They, too were UGRR operators.
Guinea Settlement
Information will soon be added about this place!A settlement of People of Color lived near Cherry Fork in Adams County. Some of the residents were UGRR operators.
.Approximately 80 persons of color were driven out of Portsmouth Ohio, in Scioto County in the year 1830. Several of the ousted families moved six mile north of the town in Clay township. The collection of farms was known as Huston Hollow The Lucas and Love families were two of these families
.Several families of Harrisses, Crocker, and Zimmerman lived in Carrs Run. The Crocker School is still standing,
A sheltered geographical area in Pike County offer runaway slaves, Native Americans, and free people of Color, a shelter from whites as the settled east of Waverly in Jackson Township. So many of the inhabitants of the township that was once known as Jackson Township, were People of Color that the township was sub-divided so that the section with the most AA population was in East Jackson Township. The Western section was West Jackson Township and was largely white.
Samuel Gist, a wealthy Englishman owned thousand acres of land in colonial America. He also owned 268 slaves on a plantation near Richmond Va. When he died in 1815, his will stimpulated that these slaves be freed his American possessions be sold and the money used to secure land and homes for them and the remainder to be held in trust for the slaves continued support. One group of them settled in Highland County near New Vienna, other settlements were in Erie, Brown and Adams Counties. The former slaves in the latter settlements died, went back to Va or to other places. However, 900 persons once called New Vienna (Highland) home. White farmers called it Dark Town. There is a church and a cemetery still there. Many of the men of the settlement served in the Civil War. (Surnames: Hudson, Day, Harrison, Anderson, Turner, Williams and more)
Thinking, singing, moaning,
scars, blood,dogs, paths, light,
Observing, searching,
Sad, stoic
Determined!
Andrea Jean-Marie Gray
Chillicothe, Ohio Grade 7 1995
,
|
|